Can opener



Dec. 24, 1946. v 5 BLOOMFIELD I 2,412,946

CAN OPENER Filed July 3, 1944 IN VEN TOR.

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Patented Dec. 24, 1946 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CAN OPENER Samuel Bloomfield, Chicago, Ill. Application July 3, 1944, Serial No. 543,232

1 Claim. 1

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in can openers and particularly to a can opener so constructed as to permit collapsibility thereof for insertion in the pocket of a garment of the user or in a container for such purpose.

The invention has for its principal object the provision of a construction of the character hereinafter more fully described, which will be highly eflicient in use and economical in manufacture.

More specifically the present invention has for its object the provision of means simple in structure and character for releasably latching the cutting blade of a can opener upon the body plate thereof when the can opener is not in use, thus eliminating the danger of injury to the user while carrying the can opener in the pocket of the garment or in a container for the same.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

The invention consists in the novel combination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawing. showing the preferred form of construction, and in which:

Fig, 1 is a perspective view of the can opener constituting the improvements set forth in my present application;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the can opener blade;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the blade showing the blade collapsed upon the body plate of the can opener;

Fig. 4 is a sectional detail view taken substantially on line 4-4 of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 5 is a sectional detail view similar to Fig. 4 but illustrating a modified form of construction.

The drawing illustrates the preferred form of construction for carrying my invention into effect and by which the several objects of the invention are accomplished.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive, my improved can opener includes a body plate it] having a cut-out portion II at one side edge thereof for the reception of the rim of the can or container to be operated upon by the can opener.

In one corner of the body plate is provided an opening l2 to receive a suitable link of a chain or the passage of a supporting element such as a nail or the like from which the can opener may be supported when not in use. The plate It] is reinforced longitudinally by a reinforcing rib l3.

The edge M of the plate H! has an extension which is rolled to provide a sleeve adapted to encircle the bar It provided in'the blade II. This blade I! provides a, penetrating point l8 and a cutting edge l9. At each "end of the bar is are provided projections or lugs which are adapted to engage the edge I4 to limit the pivotal movement of the blade I! from its collapsed position upon the body plate It].

In the form shown in Figs, 1 to 3 inclusive, there is provided .a keeper lug 2|. This keeper lug 2i is adapted to have snapped engagement with the adjacent edge portion 22 of the blade I! whereby to releasably latch the blade I! in collapsed position upon the body plate 50. This keeper lug 2| may be formed as a solid member upon the body plate It or it may be, as shown, struck from such plate, and in either instance the result will be the same.

In Figs. 4 and 5, I have illustrated modified forms of constructions for latching the blade l1 upon the body plate Ill in the position shown in Fig. 3. In Fig. 5 the keeper lug is indicated at 23 and in this instance it is struck from the sleeve IS in a manner such that the keeper lug 23 will have snapped engagement with the adjacent edge 24 of the pintle bar it when the blade I! is in collapsed position upon the body plate It. In the form shown in Fig. 4, the keeper lug 25, similarly to the keeper lug 23, is struck from the sleeve l5, but from the opposite side thereof, so as to engage the edge 26 of the pintle bar l6.

From the description herein set forth, it is manifest that the blade, when in a collapsed condition, cannot accidentally open and yet the means for releasably latching the blade in such collapsed condition is of such a simple nature as requires very little eifort upon the part of the user to pivot the blade upon the pintle bar I 6 to its cutting position.

The can opener constituting the improvement of this present invention is operated in a manner substantially similar to that shown and described in my pending application hereinbefore set forth.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred form of construction for carrying my invention into eifect, this is capable of variation and modification without departing from the spirit of the invention. I, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of such variations and modifications as come within the scope of the appended claim.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patcut is:

A can opener comprising a plate adapted to be held between the thumb and index finger of the hand during can opening operation, a bearing sleeveformed on one side edge of said plate and as an integral part thereof, a blade, a pintle bar formed as an integral part of said blade and adapted to be mounted in said sleeev to permit said blade to be pivoted relative to said plate, and means for releasably latching said blade in a position upon said plate, said means comprising a keeper lug struck from said sleeve and adapted to have snapped engagement with the pintle bar.

SAMUEL BLOOMFIELD. 

